Simon Ford's Website

Robotics meets Designers!

Browsing around Artbots (thanks Jonny), I came across something very similar to our Packet Network mashed creation. When we were first brainstorming on day 1, we really wanted to have the interaction part of it somewhat like a physical pull. We played with the idea of a dog leash pulling you, divining rods, or some sort of off-centre weight to indicate direction, but it never got much further than the basic tone as (being techies) we spent our time playing with the GSM and compass hardware.

Well these guys have done the tipping idea with real style! Take a look…

The real skill this demonstrates is knowing how to wrap up the complexities to give you something wonderfully simple. For example, try not to smile at this…

This is “Keepon”, a interaction research project. Lots of complex technology in a squishy yellow shell. He even features in his own VH1-style Pop-Up Video…

Worth searching for some more of the videos as he has some nice movement tracking, and some great youtube video responses (like this). All the details of the “Keepon” research can be found at http://beatbots.org/research/.